Missouri Homeschool Laws and Requirements
Aug 14, 2026Homeschooling is legal in Missouri, and the state stays out of it. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education does not regulate or monitor home schooling, there is no registration with the state, and there is no program for the inspection, approval, or accreditation of home schools. What Missouri does set, in section 167.012 of the Revised Statutes, is an instructional hours standard and a record keeping expectation, both handled entirely by your family.
Last Reviewed: August 14, 2026. Reviewed by the Modern Homeschools Editorial Team. Next scheduled review: August 14, 2027.
Missouri Homeschool Requirements at a Glance
| Topic | What applies in Missouri |
|---|---|
| Compulsory attendance ages | Set by section 167.031 of the Revised Statutes. Confirm the current age range directly in the statute |
| Notification or registration | No registration is required with the state. A declaration of enrollment filed locally is an option some families use, not a condition of homeschooling legally |
| Legal pathway or homeschool definition | A home school as defined in section 167.012, a school whose primary purpose is the provision of private or religious-based instruction |
| Parent or instructor qualifications | No state qualification, certification, or approval applies |
| Required subjects | Reading, language arts, mathematics, social studies, and science, or academic courses related to those subjects |
| Instructional time | At least 1,000 hours of instruction, at least 600 of which are in the subjects above, and at least 400 of those 600 hours occur at the regular home school location |
| Testing or evaluation | None. Missouri requires no standardized testing or state evaluation of home schooled students |
| Required records | A plan book, diary, or other written record of subjects taught and activities, a portfolio of samples of the child's academic work, and a record of evaluations, or other written or credible evidence equivalent to these |
| Responsible government agency | Your local school district handles enrollment and withdrawal. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education states that it does not regulate or monitor home schooling |
The Hours, Explained Simply
Missouri's hours rule sounds complicated and is really three numbers nested inside each other.
You plan at least 1,000 hours of instruction. At least 600 of those hours go to reading, language arts, mathematics, social studies, and science, or academic courses related to those subjects. At least 400 of those 600 hours happen at your regular home school location. The rest of the annual total can be educational work anywhere, which is where field trips, co-ops, music lessons, and outside classes fit comfortably.
One exception is worth knowing: the requirements of subsection 2 of section 167.012, which is where the hours and records sit, do not apply to a pupil sixteen years of age or older.
Nobody audits this. You are not filing an hours report with anyone. The numbers matter because your own records are the evidence that your program meets the standard if the question ever arises.
How to Start Homeschooling in Missouri
- Withdraw from public school, if your child is enrolled. Notify the district in writing so the school removes your child from its rolls.
- Decide about the declaration of enrollment. It is an option, not a requirement, and homeschooling is legal whether or not you file one.
- Set up your plan book before day one. It is easiest to keep as you go and nearly impossible to reconstruct later.
- Plan the year around the three numbers. At least 1,000 hours total, at least 600 in the named subjects, at least 400 of those at your regular location.
- Save work samples as you go. A folder per child per year is enough.
Testing, Attendance, and Record Keeping
Missouri requires no standardized testing and no evaluation of home schooled students, and no agency inspects, approves, or accredits a home school.
Records are what the statute asks of you, and they stay in your house. Keep a plan book, diary, or other written record showing the subjects taught and the activities engaged in, a portfolio of samples of your child's academic work, and a record of evaluations. Other written or credible evidence equivalent to those records also satisfies the requirement. Nothing goes to the district or the state on a schedule.
Because the department keeps nothing for you, those records are also what serve your family later, when a school asks about placement or credit and sets its own procedures for both.
Official Missouri Homeschool Resources
- Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Frequently Asked Questions
- Missouri Revised Statutes section 167.012, home school definition and requirements
- Missouri Revised Statutes section 167.042, declaration of enrollment
Beginning Your Homeschool Journey?
Your First 30 Days of Homeschooling provides a practical path for establishing your priorities, planning your next steps, and creating a rhythm that works for your family.
Modern Homeschools provides educational information to help families understand and navigate homeschooling requirements. Because requirements may change, families should confirm current details with the official state sources linked within this guide.